Budget Truck Rental Consumer Reviews - Page 5

I rented a Budget truck for a move and the truck broke down on us at 1000 Sunday morning in Denton, TX. Roadside assistance left my wife, 8 week old baby, my father, my 84 year old grandfather and myself on the side of the road for 6 hours to get us towed despite being only 1 mile from the closest Budget office and only 24 miles from their fleet repair station in Grapevine. Both of which were open at the time of break down but closed before anyone bother to tow us. When they did tow me they towed me to wrong location.

I called road side assistance back three times and tried to get us towed to the correct place but each representative was more rude than the next saying "we would never tow a truck twice" and "you just don't understand" They also told me "all of my expenses would be reimbursed and to just check into a hotel and we will call at 08:00 to let you know how long on the repair." I am still today waiting for that 08:00 phone call as that was that last I have ever heard from Roadside assistance. I went to the local budget office and spoke to the employee there who confirm that we were indeed in the wrong spot and would have to be towed a second time.

He just called fleet repair directly and they got us a tow truck. Unfortunately, that process took another four hours and it wasn't till 12:00 the next day that they were actually able to get the truck at the correct location. It then took another four hours to repair the truck. We didn't get back on the road till after 16:00 over 30 hours since we have broken down.

I have since called to get reimbursed for my expenses which they are now trying to put limits on saying I was only allowed so much for food or hotel. This of course was never mentioned when I was stranded. Also every time I call we are told to call back at another time or a manager will call in a hour and never does. Today they had the nerve to transfer me to a off track betting company. Don't let this happen to you or your family boycott Budget!

Our original reservation was to pick up the truck at 11:00 am on Saturday. Upon arriving at the pickup place, they had no knowledge of the reservation, nor did they have any trucks. After calling everywhere and finding no trucks available within 100 miles, we had to leave. Phone calls to Budget customer service told us that we are not reserving equipment, merely reserving a price. Eventually, we were called at about 4:00 pm to let us know a truck was available. We were told that the rental would start at 11:00 am on the next day, Sunday since we didn't get it in time to use it on Saturday.

Upon attempting to return the truck, we drove through Petoskey 3 times, stopping at the police station and 2 other places looking for the address, as well as calling Budget 2 times. We eventually found the place 3 hours after we should have been able to find it. It was located in the country without any signs or any way of knowing that it was a Budget place. We only knew to leave the truck there after calling customer service yet again.

Then, upon returning home we received a message that we would be charged for another day since they had actually started counting our rental at 1:18 on Saturday - several hours before a truck was even available. As far as we are concerned, this is theft of $60 since they are charging for a day that we did not receive. We are retired and do not have time and money to throw away. We had to hire people to load the truck even though it wasn't available. We aren't 20 years old and can't load a truck ourselves in the middle of the night to get things rushed through. That's why we paid for a 3rd day -- but to be charged for a day we didn't even get is ridiculous.

I rented a truck from Budget to move from Colorado to Washington. My online confirmation quoted me $381.99 since the deposit would be waived if I paid with a credit card, which I did. When I went to pick up the truck I requested a dolly and was told that it would cost me an additional $17 and that there was no extra fee for an additional driver. I was frazzled, I'm a new (and first time) mom so I didn't even check my receipt and left. It wasn't until I arrived at my destination that I saw that I had over drafted three times because I was charged over $600 for my rental.

At this point I took out my receipt and found I had been charged $37 for a dolly, $25 for an additional driver and $150 deposit for a total of $193 more than I was quoted. Since I over drafted three times because of this (I don't know why they couldn't have just done this in one transaction) I was now negative almost $300! Again... NEW MOM! When I returned the truck I was told that it would take up to 10 days to get the deposit back and that I would have to contact customer service for additional help with the other fees.

I called customer service and was hung up on twice. I then asked to talk to a supervisor and got a woman named **. Later, I found out ** was NOT a supervisor though she claimed to be. Regardless, I sent her the information she asked for asking for a refund of $18 for the dolly (the difference of what I was quoted), $25 for the additional driver fee, $102 for my over draft fees and applicable taxes for a total of just over $137. Of course, my first fax wasn't sufficient so I had to fax the information again, at an additional cost to me despite the fact I was already over drafted.

I waited for several days for an update with no news. I called and asked for ** to call me back. Nothing. I called again and asked for a supervisor and found out ** was not a supervisor per **. ** then hung up on me. I'm still awaiting a call back from a supervisor. At this point they have only refunded $18 and told me that my bank would just "forgive" the three over draft fees. When I spoke to my bank they told me that it didn't matter if it was my fault or not, they would not refund those over draft fees.

I'm still waiting. My calls are going ignored and I am still severely over drafted. I don't have money to help support myself, let alone my baby and Budget continues to refuse to work with me.

I was moving out of state and planned the move very carefully. I booked a Budget truck online in advance, but the day that I went to pick up the truck there was none. The manager told me that this was an ongoing problem with the national service, that they have often booked and confirmed trucks when he had none. It was the first of the month. My entire house was packed up ready to go. The utilities were cut off and on in the new place in the next state. It was Thursday afternoon and I had a presentation as part of an interviewing process for my new job the following Monday.

My calls of complaints to the customer service department of Budget was met with cool indifference. First, I had to find a place to charge my cellphone (remember no electricity). In the middle of all this, I was left a voicemail by a manager who sounded concerned, but my return calls to her were unanswered. My husband, finally, got someone who promised us a call between 7:30-8:00am the next morning with a possible truck. No such call came.

When I tried to get someone else, the rude man who took my call was argumentative and accused me of cancelling my reservation. Why would I cancel a reservation when I'm trying to move!!! I guess a lot of people like to be stuck in a dark, hot house with a pile of boxes and nowhere to rest their head.

I had to drive to the next state and sleep on a friend's sofa so that I could get to my appointment. Then, drive back to my home state and get another truck for the following weekend. This time, my husband went straight to a dealer to ensure that we did have a truck. We got no apology from Budget for all the money, time, frustration, and discomfort they caused us. On top of it, we ended up paying more for the second truck because we had to wait until the weekend and our previous coupon was not honored.

A co-worker told me of a similar horrifying experience, when he was moving down from Pennsylvania and the Budget truck broke down and he had to deal with rude customer service people, while he and his family were stranded for over 12 hours in the middle of nowhere. I think I'm going to send a letter Channel 5's Consumer Report next.

Make absolutely certain you understand how Budget handles breakdowns before you rent from them. I rented a 24' Budget truck in Myrtle Beach SC and had 2 days to pack, drive 250 miles, unpack and return to work. We left Myrtle Beach at 5 pm on a Friday, drove for a while when the truck started acting up. Stopped at a truck plaza off I-40 and cut the truck off. Then the truck would not start again. This was 8:15 P.M. Called the 800 "Roadside Emergency" #. Waiting on hold for 30 minutes before finally getting a "Customer Service Specialist".

He was more concerned about mileage, vehicle #, contract #, etc. He then told me he would forward to a "Technical Specialist" who would call me back within 1/2 hour. 46 minutes later we get a call that a mechanic is on the way and will be to us within 1 hour. When questioned about what was going to happen, I was told you have to wait for mechanic. Long story short, mechanic replaced an alternator and we got on the road at 2:15 am! Six hours on breakdown and Budget will only credit me $30 on my rental. BUT, they paid the mechanic $1.50 a mile for 180 miles and $98 an hour for 3 hours!!!!! Budget is not responsive to their consumers!!!!

430 FRANKLIN VILLAGE DRIVE, FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS -- Twice we made a reservation with this company for a 24 feet truck, twice had the worse customer service ever. On June 27, 2013, I made a reservation over the phone with the service center, even provided them with my credit card information. With confirmation number handy went to pick up truck. I was informed at that location by a very unprofessional person that he was not advised by "Service Center" of this reservation. Also, he said he has not had a truck that size for months.

On July 2, 2013, decided to give them a second chance. This time after reservation, I called the Franklin, MA location to make sure this time they had the truck. Actually I called twice to confirm the availability and make sure my 45 minutes' drive was not going to be in vain this time. Everything was fine until I arrived to pick up truck. Once there I was informed that they had no 24 feet for me, even though there was one parked right outside. Try to rationalize with the guy that I needed the truck to no avail.

My only advice to the rest of you hardworking people is to never ever trust them. I am sure I am not ever going back there for anything and if anyone asks me for reference it is not going to be a good one for sure.

They overbooked and didn't tell me until the day before my move that I had no truck. After being left high and dry by the pick-up location that told me of the failure to be able to honor my confirmed reservation, I called Budget and they tried (supposedly) to find me a truck. When I called to find out the status of the search, it was like they had no idea who I was. So the search begins (again?).

They end up finding me a truck over 30 miles away. They oh so generously offered not to charge me for the extra miles I would have to drive so far out of my way due to THEIR mistake. They absolutely would not give me any kind of discount or reimbursement to compensate for the $40 extra in gas it would cost me to pick up at the new location and I didn't even bring up the 2 hours of extra driving I would have to do on my moving day!

I spent so much time on the phone with customer service and various supervisors and it came down to them not caring and not even thinking that they did anything wrong. They were almost confused that I thought they should modify my charges in some fashion so I would pay the same as I would have paid with my initial reservation. It was THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. I called U-Haul and had a truck within an hour.

My son and I reserved a Budget truck for a local move. When we went to pick up the truck, we were informed that reservation not withstanding, there no trucks available at that location. For the rest of the day! The local agent (Budget trucks were his sideline business) looked totally bored, was completely unconcerned, didn't apologize and offered zero help. He gave us a toll free number then started reading a book and ignored us after that. After 20 minutes bouncing between Budget reps and hold music we were told they "might" be able to get a truck for us in 2 hours.

We called a local U-Haul store, and by contrast they could not have been more helpful. The location we called did not have a truck, but reserved one for us at another U-Haul store nearby. It was ready in 30 minutes and we were able to salvage the day. This is actually the second time Budget promised us a rental truck that wasn't available the day we needed it. I'd forget Budget trucks if I were you. To be fair, we've gotten good service with Budget car rentals; must not be the same group in charge with the truck division.

PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON -- We rented a Budget truck from Defiance Boats on Highway 3 in Port Orchard in early June 2011. Our experience was perfect from beginning to end. The service we received at Defiance Boats was exemplary and sets the standard for customer service. Courteous, thorough, supportive, accommodating, they have it all. No un-ordered 'blankets' or 'dolly' tie-wrapped to the walls for loading and spatial problems and/or charges if dislodged, mirrors were stable at highway speeds, non-smoking truck... no complaints whatsoever.

We estimated the size truck we would need by checking online the various truck sizes, and then stacking all our stuff in a measured space in the garage. We figured the smallest size truck would be best for several reasons: cheaper, easier to drive, more fuel efficient, and our load would pack better and shift less. The truck we rented from Defiance Boats was mechanically excellent, got GREAT gas mileage [seriously - unbelievable!], and was reliable from the start. Our drop off in Lewiston, ID could not have been more accommodating and cheerful. Totally a wonderful experience. You will not go wrong here!

Never, ever rent from Budget. After reserving a truck, traveling 200 miles with my family to pick up some furniture from my in-laws, Budget had overbooked and had no truck. In fact, they said they had five reservations for three trucks, and that I merely reserved the rate not the truck when I made my reservation. Unbelievably, they then charged me as a no show. Sounds like they thought I was reserving more than the rate. Customer service was horrible.

No effort was made to make good. Thankfully Penske had a truck. They were far more professional and customer oriented. Budget just didn't care.